Help! I've got an engine problem! Options

[Akira_g4]

Today after school i started noticing that my engine was leaking out some white smoke from the engine bay. So after coming home i popped the hood and found this:



There's a tiny little crack leaking out the smoke. Common sense tells me that's where the problem is. sorry im not really an engine expert so I'm not sure what is wrong so what should i do now?

[Kadett]

That my friend is the most common underhood 6th gen problem. Cracked Radiator. Need to replace that. Hope that you didn't drive to long after it blew as in overheating and damaging the engine.

Replacing it is very easy. 15-30 minutes of your time. 19 mm spanner (water temp sensor) pair of plyers (to loosen the hose clamps) and 10mm socket (to remove upper radiator bracket and remove fans from old radiator) and your good to go.

If you want to read a detailed guide for it (with pics) go to www.gtfours.co.uk -> (Left Side tab menu ) How-To-> Repair/Maintain-> Change Thermostat/Radiator

This post has been edited by Kadett: Dec 4, 2007 - 2:37 PM

[Akira_g4]

damn! i drove for like another 30 min after noticing it. And the closest toyota center is like 25 min away. probably isnt safe to drive it over there huh?

[Kadett]

damn! i drove for like another 30 min after noticing it. And the closest toyota center is like 25 min away. probably isnt safe to drive it over there huh?

Dont know if you looked at your Water Temp Meter on the dash between it happening and your trip back home?

And no dont drive it anymore untill you get this fixed.

[LewFX]

do it yourself and save yourself money.. i paid $200 for a radiator, thermostat and gasket with a gallon of red life coolant. took me another an hour and a half total time.

[Supersprynt]

They do make radiator cement in the mean time.

[Havok1997GT]

The question is did you run the engine hot, it the Temp gauge didnt go to Red your fine. That looks pretty bad and i wouldnt think that filling it back up would last very long before you ran empty again. If you cant do it yourself, tow it to a shop, but its really easy and cheap to replace yourself, just make sure you dont damage the hoses while your replacing it and if you do or find one thats cracked, replace it or youll have another problem, its a good idea to go ahead and replace them too, odds are they will go out soon as well.

[jcbass7]

changing your radiator is VERY simple and a great way to learn some things about the car. I don't recomend any of the "quick fix" leak stopper things.. as in the kind that you mix into your coolant. Just because it gets all in the coolant system and with a new radiator later it will get all gunked up as well etc.. just bad news

[Akira_g4]

hey guys thanks for the response. ill try fixin it now